How to become a travel Writer

Write Stories That Engage People Emotionally

The biggest problem in the travel industry is a lack of focus on writing.

At blogging conferences, it’s all press trips, marketing, and sponsored content. Writing is usually just paid lip service, but the foundation of a good blog is good writing. You will never get anywhere without improving your writing ability.

Look at the most successful blogs in any niche. Their writing is always top notch. It engages people on an emotional level and draws them into the story.

I’ve attended writing conferences, hired a copy editor, and used outside writing coaches over the years to help me improve my writing. (Longtime readers of Nomadic Matt will probably have noticed a big difference in my writing!) Becoming a good writer takes time, practice, and a good teacher.

As a fierce advocate of better writing, I wanted to create a writing course that provides detailed, hands-on instruction, because there is simply nowhere bloggers and writers can go to get a world-class writing course at an affordable price.

I’ve partnered with award-winning travel writer David Farley, author of An Irreverent Curiosity and a writing professor at Columbia and New York University, to create a course on the nuts and bolts of travel writing. From crafting a story to becoming a better writer, self-editing, and making a career as a travel writer, our course covers it all.

David is considered one of the top travel writers in the country. He’s hosted a National Geographic Channel show, and his work has appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, AFAR, and countless other publications. He’s one of the people I go to for writing help, advice, and edits!

Most of us want to be better writers.

We want to improve our blog, get our stories published, or write that book.

But when you’re traveling the world or not near a school with a good teacher, that’s really hard.

Plus, college writing courses are really expensive. College courses can cost upwards of $4,000 for one class!

But what if you could get that same course for a tenth of the price? Through video lectures, interviews with successful travel writers and editors, detailed examples of edited stories, and writing assignments, you’ll get the course David teaches at NYU and Columbia University — with added information for online writing — at your fingertips.

You’ll learn the nuts and bolts of travel writing and this industry. And you’ll get clued into every aspect of the travel writer’s life — from how to find a good story, to pre-trip research, to writing up a pitch for a story — all of the things David (and I) learned the hard way through trial and error.

If you’ve been wondering how to improve your writing, this course will help you learn how to craft a story that will captivate readers.

If you’ve been wondering how to break into the travel industry and land assignments, this course will help you find agents and editors and learn how to pitch the perfect story.

If you’ve been struggling with self-editing, this course will provide tips and tricks on how to edit your work.

To let David share his story…

“I’ve made a lot of errors along the way, fumbling in the dark. There were only a couple of ‘how to become a travel writer’ type of books back when I started — and they didn’t seem very good. And there were no classes — online or live — where a successful travel writer could lay out for you just how one successfully travels down this path.

I’ve been teaching travel writing at NYU and Columbia University for over ten years. And while I love it, teaching a class in one location (NYC) limits my reach. I am a fierce advocate for better writing and helped create this course because I believe not enough attention is paid to writing and because there is simply no place where bloggers and potential writers from around the world can go to get a world-class writing course at an affordable price.

In the 10+ years I’ve been teaching travel writing at NYU and Columbia University, my students have gone on to write for the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, and other publications. Some have even published books.

Those successful students were not necessarily the most talented writers in the class. But they were always the most driven. They really wanted this. They wanted to make it. And so with that determination, they were propelled into becoming better writers and figuring out what they needed to do to get there.”

You can break free from the crowd and make it as a travel writer.

We know that, when the barrier to entry is low and Buzzfeed-style lists dominate the Internet while publications shutter, it can seem like there’s no hope of making it in the travel writing world. While there is a glut of potential writers, there’s still a dearth of driven ones. There’s quantity but not quality, and I want to show you how to break free from the crowd, find the big breaks, improve your writing, and make it in this industry.

This course covers all aspects of travel writing. Through nine units, it will teach you how to craft the perfect story, improve your writing, self-edit, and improve your research through video, writing samples, examples of edited work, and much more.

“I noticed an immediate improvement in my writing after starting the course.”

I took on the Superstar Blogging course to learn the underlying physics of being a great travel writer. Through detailed course notes and video tutorials mixed with bespoke, actionable feedback I found this course suited me perfectly to find structure in story telling and also writing for the reader. Supported by a community of bloggers, I now have the confidence to tackle any writing task thrown at me.– Warren

David not only explains the ins and outs of what it means to be a travel writer but inspires and teaches his students to become professional storytellers. The feedback and insights David gave me on homework assignments have carried over into everything I’ve written since, and have changed the way I read other people’s work, edit my own, and find ideas. The best part of all — the course actually gets you excited to sit down and write!– Corey

Writing is a skill, and David Farley is an exceptional teacher. This travel writing course is everything you would expect out of a university course, except with the added luxury of doing it at your own pace in the comfort of your chosen environment. With tutoring, editing, writing examples, videos, advice, and feedback, being a part of this course is like having your own private writing mentor. It’s helped me improve my own writing, as well as helped me think like a writer and spot errors before I publish them!– Toni

I noticed an immediate improvement in my writing after starting the course. David illuminates the fundamental concepts of travel writing in such a relatable way that you will be hard-pressed NOT to have a few lightbulb moments as you progress. From the nuts and bolts of grammar to research, composition, and marketing, David dives into it all. Moreover, the feedback David provided was extremely helpful in helping me identify and correct mistakes! If you want to understand the concepts behind the best travel writing in the world, this course is where to start!– Christopher

What This Course Includes

How to Write Viral Posts Online

Capturing a Sense of Place

Mastering Narrative Flow

Pitching to Editors

How to Avoid Clichés

Editing Your Work

Understanding the Revision Process

Grammar Dos and Don’ts

Researching Like a Pro

Plus: A Private Facebook Group

How to Captivate Your Readers

Piecing a Story Together

Long-Form Story Writing

Understanding Story Structure

Feedback and Edits on Your Work

Making Money as a Writer

Finding an Agent

Creating the Perfect Lede

How to Write Book Proposals

Quarterly Webinars

Course Syllabus

Month 1

Introduction to travel writingUnderstanding the writing lifestyleThe different types of storytellingHow to create a storyHow to find your angle and pegHow to come up with story ideasBONUS: Writing resources

Month 2

The anatomy of a storyVarious types of commercial writing (and their differences)How to craft the perfect ledeHow to be descriptive (and avoid clichés)How to edit like an editorGrammar dos and don’tsBONUS: Revision checklist

Month 3

The difference between print and online writingHow to write for an online audienceHow to create viral content

Month 4

How to write memoirsHow to create perfect story arcsHow to research effectivelyBONUS: Research checklist

Month 5

How to find freelance workHow to find and pitch editorsHow to sell your work onlineHow to blog and succeed on social media

Each month, you’ll get a number of lessons (many of these concepts are divided into multiple lessons) taught through video, text, and step by step breakdowns of each subject, as well as assignments to turn in for editing and feedback. Moreover, you’ll get 2-3 one hour expert interviews to listen to as well. This is a writing class — and you can’t become a better writer without feedback! (We’re the only online travel writing course that offers personalized feedback!)

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to be a traveler writer or just a better writer, this course is for you. It will teach you writing and editing skills from world-famous and best-selling authors, writers, and editors. There’s no other course out there that features in one place so many successful writing experts, divulging the secrets of the trade.

13+ Hours of Expert Interviews

Listen to interviews with 13 award-winning writers and editors as they share their travel writing tips, failures, and successes with you.

Don George

Travel Writer, Editor

Don George has been a travel writer and editor for 40 years. In this interview, he talks about how to break into the industry, his early mistakes, and advice for new writers.

Cullen Thomas

Author, Travel Writer

In this wide-ranging interview, he discusses how to brainstorm stories, create a narrative arc, and publish a book.

Stephanie Griest

Author, Educator

Stephanie is currently a teacher at UNC. In this interview, she talks about how to write and pitch a successful book.

Carol Cain

Girlgonetravel.com

Carol talks about creating a niche you can grow with, supporting your family on a freelancer’s salary, and the lack of diversity in travel writing.

Nathan Thornburg

Roadsandkingdoms.com

Nathan discusses long-form writing on the web, how to create story ideas, and how NOT to pitch editors.

Derk Richardson

Travel Writer, Editor

Derk Richardson is the former editor of AFAR magazine. In this interview, he discusses what writers can do to improve the quality of their writing and pitches.

Thomas Swick

Writer, Educator, Teacher

Thomas Swick is the editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In this interview, he covers the dual life of writing and editing.

MATT GROSS

Food and Travel Writer

Matt discusses his journey from writer to editor, the mistakes he sees freelance writers make in their editing, and how to successfully pitch online.

Jessica Clarke

Freelance Writer, Traveler

Jessica talks about life as a freelance travel writer and how to be a “reporter” in your destination.

Jason Cochran

Editor, Frommers.com

Jason is an award-winning travel journalist and current editor of Frommers.com. In this interview, he discusses how to write service articles.

Caroline Kepnes

Author, Former TV Writer

Caroline shares her advice on how to create stories, develop narrative arc, and write dialogue that engages and captivates the audience.

Spud Hilton

Travel Editor, SFChronicle.com

Spud shares how he picks and assigns freelance work as well as how writers can self-edit their work and improve their writing.

Rolf Potts

Travel Writer, Essayist, Adventurer

Rolf discusses his evolution as a writer, how to use traditional writing skills for the web, and finding unique story angles.

Get Started Today!

This course will teach you writing and editing skills for success from world-famous and best-selling authors, writers, and editors. PLUS, each month you’ll be able to submit your work to David for editing and feedback…because, unlike other writing classes, we know that without feedback you can’t improve! Start today risk free and become the writer you know you are!

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Money-Back Guarantee

I’m fully committed to helping you improve your blog and become a success. You can test-drive the course for 30 days, read the material, listen to the webinars and interviews, and check out the case studies. If you complete the assignments and do the work but still don’t feel the course is right for you or will improve your blog, I’ll happily refund 100% of your money. (See the FAQ for more detail.)

Meet Your Instructor

David Farley

David has been writing about travel, food, and culture for over twenty years. His work has appeared in AFAR magazine, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, and World Hum, among other publications. In 2006 and 2013, he won Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers for magazine articles he wrote. He has lived in Prague, Paris, and Rome and now lives in New York City. He is the author of An Irreverent Curiosity and was a host for National Geographic. He teaches writing at Columbia and New York University.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this course structured?

This course is unit based. Each month, you’ll get one new unit sent to you — and you’ll always be able to access previous units and lessons. You can try out the course for 30 days.

Can I jump ahead right away?

Each unit is meant to be worked on and focused on individually. I can tell you after eight years of blogging that you simply can’t digest all this information in a short amount of time. Between all the lessons, tasks, webinars, and interviews, you’ll find the structure helpful in avoiding being overwhelmed. However, we do make exceptions for established bloggers on a case-by-case basis. Simply contact us and we can give you access to more advanced lessons.

I don’t have a lot of time. Is this course for me?

This course is meant to be completed at your own pace. There’s no weekly time limit. Go as fast or slow as you want. Take your time on each lesson. There is no rush. You have lifetime access to all the material and any future updates.

What if I get really confused or stuck?

David is here to be your mentor to help. You can email him as often you as you need to and he’ll help troubleshoot your problems. We want you to succeed, not be confused.

How often do I need to travel to make this work?

You don’t need to travel all the time. If you aren’t exploring the world, explore your backyard. You can write about the local area. As long as you have some travel experience, a passion, and take at least one trip a year, we can show you how to make it work.

How long is each expert interviews?

Each interview is between 45 minutes and one hour.

Is my payment secure?

We collect payments via the 256-bit encryption payment provider Stripe. Our website and your payment are secure, so no one takes your data! We know how important this is!

If I don’t like the course, can I get a refund?

Yes. I’m fully committed to helping you improve your blog and become a success. You can test-drive the course for 30 days, read the material, listen to the webinars and interviews, and check out the case studies. If you do the work and don’t feel the course is good or will improve your blog, I’ll happily refund 100% of your money.